Amos 7

Am. 7:1-9.

The seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters contain

VISIONS, WITH

THEIR

EXPLANATIONS.

The seventh chapter consists of two parts. First

(Am 7:1-9):

PROPHECIES

ILLUSTRATED BY

THREE

SYMBOLS:

(1) A vision of grasshoppers or young locusts, which devour the grass, but are

removed at Amos' entreaty; (2) Fire drying up even the deep, and

withering part of the land, but removed at Amos' entreaty; (3) A

plumb-line to mark the buildings for destruction. Secondly

(Am 7:10-17):

NARRATIVE OF

AMAZIAH'S

INTERRUPTION OF

AMOS IN

CONSEQUENCE OF THE

FOREGOING

PROPHECIES, AND

PREDICTION OF

HIS

DOOM.

1. showed . . . me; and, behold--The same formula prefaces the three

visions in this chapter, and the fourth in

Am 8:1.

grasshoppers--rather, "locusts" in the caterpillar state, from a

Hebrew root, "to creep forth." In the autumn the eggs are deposited

in the earth; in the spring the young come forth

[MAURER].

the latter growth--namely, of grass, which comes up after the mowing.

They do not in the East mow their grass and make hay of it, but cut it

off the ground as they require it.

the king's mowings--the first-fruits of the mown grass, tyrannically

exacted by the king from the people. The literal locusts, as in Joel,

are probably symbols of human foes: thus the "growth" of grass "after

the king's mowings" will mean the political revival of Israel under

Jeroboam II

(2Ki 14:25),

after it had been mown down, as it were, by Hazael and Ben-hadad of

Syria

(2Ki 13:3),

[GROTIUS].

2. by whom shall Jacob arise?--If Thou, O God, dost not spare, how can

Jacob maintain his ground, reduced as he is by repeated attacks of

the Assyrians, and erelong about to be invaded by the Assyrian Pul

(2Ki 15:19, 20)?

Compare

Isa 51:19.

The mention of "Jacob" is a plea that God should "remember for them His

covenant" with their forefather, the patriarch

(Ps 106:45).

he is small--reduced in numbers and in strength.

3. repented for this--that is, of this. The change was not in the mind

of God

(Nu 2:19;

Jas 1:17),

but in the effect outwardly. God unchangeably does what is just; it is

just that He should hear intercessory prayer

(Jas 5:16-18),

as it would have been just for Him to have let judgment take its course

at once on the guilty nation, but for the prayer of one or two

righteous men in it (compare

Ge 18:23-33;

1Sa 15:11;

Jer 42:10).

The repentance of the sinner, and God's regard to His own attributes of

mercy and covenanted love, also cause God outwardly to deal with him as

if he repented

(Jon 3:10),

whereas the change in outward dealing is in strictest harmony with God's

own unchangeableness.

It shall not be--Israel's utter overthrow now. Pul was influenced by

God to accept money and withdraw from Israel.

4. called to contend--that is, with Israel judicially

(Job 9:3;

Isa 66:16;

Eze 38:22).

He ordered to come at His call the infliction of punishment by "fire"

on Israel, that is, drought (compare

Am 4:6-11),

[MAURER]. Rather, war

(Nu 21:28),

namely, Tiglath-pileser [GROTIUS].

devoured the . . . deep--that is, a great part of

Israel, whom he carried away. Waters are the symbol for many

people

(Re 17:15).

did eat up a part--namely, all the land (compare

Am 4:7)

of Israel east of Jordan

(1Ch 5:26;

Isa 9:1).

This was a worse judgment than the previous one: the locusts ate up the

grass: the fire not only affects the surface of the ground, but burns

up the very roots and reaches even to the deep.

7. wall made by a plumb-line--namely, perpendicular.

8. plumb-line in . . . midst of . . .

Israel--No longer are the symbols, as in the former two, stated

generally; this one is expressly applied to Israel. God's

long-suffering is worn out by Israel's perversity: so Amos ceases to

intercede (compare

Ge 18:33).

The plummet line was used not only in building, but in destroying

houses

(2Ki 21:13;

Isa 28:17; 34:11;

La 2:8).

It denotes that God's judgments are measured out by the most exact

rules of justice. Here it is placed "in the midst" of Israel, that is,

the judgment is not to be confined to an outer part of Israel, as by

Tiglath-pileser; it is to reach the very center. This was fulfilled

when Shalmaneser, after a three years' siege of Samaria, took it and

carried away Israel captive finally to Assyria

(2Ki 17:3, 5, 6, 23).

not . . . pass by . . . any more--not forgive them any more

(Am 8:2;

Pr 19:11;

Mic 7:18).

9. high places--dedicated to idols.

of Isaac--They boasted of their following the example of their

forefather Isaac, in erecting high places at Beer-sheba

(Am 5:5;

compare

Ge 26:23, 24; 46:1);

but he and Abraham erected them before the temple was appointed at

Jerusalem--and to God; whereas they did so, after the temple had been

fixed as the only place for sacrifices--and to idols. In the

Hebrew here "Isaac" is written with s, instead of the

usual ts; both forms mean "laughter"; the change of spelling

perhaps expresses that their "high places of Isaac" may be well so

called, but not as they meant by the name; for they are only fit to be

laughed at in scorn. Probably, however, the mention of "Isaac"

and "Israel" simply expresses that these names, which their degenerate

posterity boasted in as if ensuring their safety, will not save them

and their idolatrous "sanctuaries" on which they depended from ruin

(compare

Am 8:14).

house of Jeroboam with . . . sword--fulfilled in the

extinction of Zachariah, son of Jeroboam II, the last of the

descendants of Jeroboam I, who had originated the idolatry of the

calves

(2Ki 15:8-10).

Am. 7:10-17.

AMAZIAH'S

CHARGE AGAINST

AMOS:

HIS

DOOM

FORETOLD.

10. priest of Beth-el--chief priest of the royal sanctuary to the

calves at Beth-el. These being a device of state policy to keep Israel

separate from Judah. Amaziah construes Amos words against them as

treason. So in the case of Elijah and Jeremiah

(1Ki 18:17;

Jer 37:13, 14).

So the antitype Jesus was charged

(Joh 19:12);

political expediency being made in all ages the pretext for dishonoring

God and persecuting His servants

(Joh 11:48-50).

So in the case of Paul

(Ac 17:6, 7; 24:5).

in the midst of . . . Israel--probably alluding to Amos' own words,

"in the midst of . . . Israel"

(Am 7:8),

foretelling the state's overthrow to the very center. Not

secretly, or in a corner, but openly, in the very center of the

state, so as to upset the whole utterly.

land is not able to bear all his words--They are so many and so

intolerable. A sedition will be the result. The mention of his being

"priest of Beth-el" implies that it was for his own priestly gain, not

for the king or state, he was so keen.

11. Jeroboam shall die, &c.--Amos had not said this: but that "the

house of Jeroboam" should fall "with the sword"

(Am 7:9).

But Amaziah exaggerates the charge, to excite Jeroboam against him. The

king, however, did not give ear to Amaziah, probably from religious awe

of the prophet of Jehovah.

12. Also--Besides informing the king against Amos, lest that course

should fail, as it did, Amaziah urges the troublesome prophet himself to

go back to his own land Judah, pretending to advise him in friendliness.

seer--said contemptuously in reference to Amos' visions which

precede.

there eat bread--You can earn a livelihood there, whereas remaining

here you will be ruined. He judges of Amos by his own selfishness, as if

regard to one's own safety and livelihood are the paramount

considerations. So the false prophets

(Eze 13:19)

were ready to say whatever pleased their hearers, however false, for

"handfuls of barley and pieces of bread."

13. prophesy not again--

(Am 2:12).

at Beth-el--Amaziah wants to be let alone at least in his own

residence.

the king's chapel--Beth-el was preferred by the king to Dan, the other

seat of the calf-worship, as being nearer Samaria, the capital, and as

hallowed by Jacob of old

(Ge 28:16, 19; 35:6, 7).

He argues by implication against Amos' presumption, as a private man,

in speaking against the worship sanctioned by the king, and that in the

very place consecrated to it for the king's own devotions.

king's court--that is, residence: the seat of empire, where the king

holds his court, and which thou oughtest to have reverenced. Samaria was

the usual king's residence: but for the convenience of attending the

calf-worship, a royal palace was at Beth-el also.

14. I was no prophet--in answer to Amaziah's insinuation

(Am 7:12),

that he discharged the prophetical office to earn his "bread" (like

Israel's mercenary prophets). So far from being rewarded, Jehovah's

prophets had to expect imprisonment and even death as the result of

their prophesying in Samaria or Israel: whereas the prophets of Baal

were maintained at the king's expense (compare

1Ki 18:19).

I was not, says Amos, of the order of prophets, or educated in their

schools, and deriving a livelihood from exercising the public functions

of a prophet. I am a shepherd (compare

Am 7:15,

"flock"; the Hebrew for "herdsman" includes the meaning,

shepherd, compare

Am 1:1)

in humble position, who did not even think of prophesying among you,

until a divine call impelled me to it.

prophet's son--that is, disciple. Schools of prophets are mentioned

first in First Samuel; in these youths were educated to serve the

theocracy as public instructors. Only in the kingdom of the ten tribes

is the continuance of the schools of the prophets mentioned. They were

missionary stations near the chief seats of superstition in Israel, and

associations endowed with the Spirit of God; none were admitted but

those to whom the Spirit had been previously imparted. Their spiritual

fathers travelled about to visit the training schools, and cared for the

members and even their widows

(2Ki 4:1, 2).

The pupils had their common board in them, and after leaving them still

continued members. The offerings which in Judah were given by the

pious to the Levites, in Israel went to the schools of the prophets

(2Ki 4:42).

Prophecy (for example, Elijah and Elisha) in Israel was more connected

with extraordinary events than in Judah, inasmuch as, in the absence of

the legal hierarchy of the latter, it needed to have more palpable

divine sanction.

sycamore--abounding in Palestine. The fruit was like the fig, but

inferior; according to PLINY,

a sort of compound, as the name expresses,

of the fig and the mulberry. It was only eaten by the poorest (compare

1Ki 10:27).

gatherer--one occupied with their cultivation

[MAURER]. To cultivate

it, an incision was made in the fruit when of a certain size, and on the

fourth day afterwards it ripened

[PLINY, Natural History, 13.7,14].

GROTIUS from

JEROME says, if it be not plucked off and "gathered" (which

favors English Version), it is spoiled by gnats.

15. took me as I followed the flock--So David was taken

(2Sa 7:8;

Ps 78:70, 71).

Messiah is the antitypical Shepherd

(Ps 23:1-6;

Joh 10:1-18).

unto my people--"against"

[MAURER]; so

Am 7:16.

Jehovah claims them still as His by right, though slighting His

authority. God would recover them to His service by the prophet's

ministry.

16. drop--distil as the refreshing drops of rain

(De 32:2;

Eze 21:2;

compare

Mic 2:6, 11).

17. Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city--that is, shall be

forced by the enemy, while thou art looking on, unable to prevent her

dishonor

(Isa 13:16;

La 5:11).

The words, "saith THE LORD

are in striking opposition to "Thou sayest"

(Am 7:16).

divided by line--among the foe.

a polluted land--Israel regarded every foreign land as that which

really her own land was now, "polluted"

(Isa 24:5;

Jer 2:7).